Amaranthe

Amaranthe

Amaranthe (with former vocalist Andreas Solveström) performing at the Tuska Open Air Metal Festival in 2013
Background information
Also known as Avalanche (2008–2009)
Origin Gothenburg, Sweden
Genres
Years active 2008–present
Labels Spinefarm Records, Universal
Associated acts Dragonland, Nightrage, Kamelot, Temperance
Website www.amaranthe.se
Members
  • Elize Ryd
  • Joachim "Jake E" Lundberg
  • Olof Mörck
  • Henrik Englund Wilhemsson
  • Johan Andreassen
  • Morten Løwe Sørensen
Past members Andreas Solveström

Amaranthe (originally Avalanche) is a Swedish heavy metal band notable for having three lead vocalists: Elize Ryd, Jake E. Lundberg, and Henrik Englund Wilhemsson, each presenting a different vocal style (Ryd and Lundberg employ standard singing while Englund performs death growls).

History

Formed by Joachim "Jake E" Lundberg (Dreamland, Dream Evil) and Olof Mörck (Dragonland, Nightrage) in 2008, the project began taking shape when singers Elize Ryd (toured with Kamelot) and Andreas Solveström (Cipher System, Within Y) signed on, as did drummer Morten Løwe Sørensen (The Cleansing, Koldborn, Mercenary). Bassist Johan Andreassen (Engel) joined after the photoshoot for the Leave Everything Behind demo but before the recording of the first album Amaranthe.

The band was originally called "Avalanche", until May 2009, when the band was forced to change their name, due to legal issues.[1] The members chose to rename the band "Amaranthe". They later released their first demo, Leave Everything Behind.

The band's debut album, Amaranthe, was released in April 2011 and reached a peak position of 35th on Swedish charts and 16th on Finnish Charts.[2][3]

Their second album, The Nexus, was released in March 2013.[4] Guitarist Olof Mörck described the album as having greater contrasts, a more controversial mix of genres, and featuring more creative freedoms than Amaranthe.[5] According to Olof, the band "took everything [up] to eleven" in the new album.[5] The album reached 6th on Swedish charts,[2] 4th on Finnish charts,[3] and reached a peak of 12th on the US Heatseekers charts.[6]

In October 2013, unclean vocalist Solveström left the band and was replaced by Henrik Englund Wilhemsson (Scarpoint).[4]

Their third album, Massive Addictive, was released on the 21st October 2014.[7]

A special compilation Breaking Point - B-sides 2011-2015 was released on 30th October 2015. It consists of the best b-sides and bonus tracks in Amaranthe's career.

Musical style

Reviews of Amaranthe's style are varied, though they all acknowledge that they are mainly a subgenre of metal. According to AllMusic, Amaranthe's musical style mixes death metal with melodic pop music, giving for a feel of metalcore overall.[8] Lead singer Elize Ryd acknowledges the difficulties in trying to ascribe their music to one specific genre and describes Amaranthe's sound as "dance-metal with a taste of death and modern/melodic metal," though she admits that, unlike death metal, their focus is on "positive energy" and "open[ing] up minds [and] give[ing] passion, strength and love".[9] MusicMight classifies the band as melodic death metal and power metal.[10] Sputnikmusic's overview of the band refers to them as an outfit that is a hybrid of metalcore and power metal, more specifically, combining heavy riffs and breakdowns with Ryd's "soaring vocals."[11]

Band members

Current members
Former members
  • Andreas Solveström - unclean vocals (male) (2008-2013)
Touring members
  • Antony Hämäläinen - unclean vocals (male), live (2012)
  • Anna-Mia Bonde - clean vocals (female), live (2011)
  • Richard Sjunnesson – unclean vocals (male), live (2011-2012)
  • Olle Ekman - unclean vocals (male), live (2015)
  • Alexander Strandell - clean vocals (male), live (2015)
  • Chris Adam Hedman Sörbye - clean vocals (male), live (2015)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
JPN
[12]		 SWE
[2]		 FIN
[3]		 SWI
[13]		 US
Heat
[14]		 BEL (VAL)
[15]		 GER
[16]
Amaranthe
  • Released: April 13, 2011
  • Label: Spinefarm Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
39 35 16 — — — —
The Nexus
  • Released: March 13, 2013
  • Label: Spinefarm Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download, Vinyl
31 6 4 90 12 192 —
Massive Addictive
  • Released: October 21, 2014
  • Label: Spinefarm Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download, Vinyl
14 18 6 53 1 194 89
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Extended plays

Title EP details
Leave Everything Behind
  • Released: February 18, 2009
  • Label: Spinefarm Records
  • Formats: CD

Singles

Compilations

Music videos

Year Title Director Album
2011 "Hunger"[26] Patric Ullaeus Amaranthe
"Amaranthine"[27]
2012 "1.000.000 Lightyears"[28] Johan Carlén
2013 "The Nexus"[29] Patric Ullaeus The Nexus
"Burn with Me"[30]
"Invincible"[31]
2014 "Drop Dead Cynical"[32] Massive Addictive
2015 "Digital World"
"True"

References

  1. ↑ "AVALANCHE Changes Name To AMARANTHE". May 20, 2009. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "AMARANTHE". Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  3. 1 2 3 "AMARANTHE". Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  4. 1 2 "Amaranthe | The Official Website". Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  5. 1 2 "INTERVIEW: AMARANTHE". Rock Revolt Magazine. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  6. ↑ "Amaranthe - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  7. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/AmarantheBand/photos/a.149328875092513.27598.147104251981642/951558761536183/?type=1
  8. ↑ AllMusic
  9. ↑ "Elize Ryd – Amaranthe". Femme Metal Webzine. 2013-02-13. Retrieved 2013-12-16.
  10. ↑ Born, R. "Amaranthe biography". MusicMight. Retrieved 2015-08-05.
  11. ↑ "Amaranthe reviews, music, news". Sputnikmusic. Retrieved October 6, 2015.
  12. ↑ http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/537743/ranking/cd_album/
  13. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Die Offizielle Schweizer Hitparade und Music Community". Hitparade.ch. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  14. ↑ "Amaranthe - Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  15. ↑ "Ultratop Belgian Charts". ultratop.be. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  16. ↑ http://www.officialcharts.de/suche.asp?search=amaranthe&x=0&y=0&country=de
  17. ↑ "Amaranthe: 'The Nexus' First Week Sales Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 2013-04-03. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  18. ↑ Brown, Matt (2015-06-25). "Metal By Numbers 6/25: The charts are luminous". MetalInsider.net. Retrieved 2015-06-26.
  19. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/pl/album/hunger-single/id421114520
  20. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/pl/album/rain-single/id442639706
  21. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/pl/a* "True" lbum/amaranthine-single/id467064167
  22. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/pl/album/1-000-000-lightyears-single/id526428435
  23. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-nexus-single/id595086814
  24. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/burn-with-me-single/id659271673
  25. ↑ https://itunes.apple.com/pl/album/invincible-single/id738303675
  26. ↑ "Amaranthe: 'Hunger' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. 2011-03-01. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  27. ↑ "Amaranthe: 'Amaranthine' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  28. ↑ "Amaranthe: '1.000.000 Lightyears' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. 2012-05-21. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  29. ↑ "Amaranthe: Entire New Album Available For Streaming". Blabbermouth.net. 2013-03-15. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  30. ↑ "Amaranthe: 'Burn With Me' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. 2013-06-17. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  31. ↑ "Amaranthe: 'Invincible' Video Released". Blabbermouth.net. 2013-11-26. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  32. ↑ September 16, 2014 (2014-09-17). "Amaranthe: 'Drop Dead Cynical' Video". YouTube.com. Retrieved 2014-09-16.

External links

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